January 17

270 HE

When I awoke this morning, there was sunlight streaming through my window. I had overslept. Great. I sat up quickly and changed out of my nightclothes.

Downstairs in the kitchen I found Cooper practicing throwing knives at the thick wooden board I had hung up on the wall for that exact reason. As I watched, she threw both of her knives and they hit the board dead center in perfect synchronization. I clapped and she spun around, not having heard me enter the room. She gave a tentative smile. "Good morning Beka. Um… sorry for coming down so early on my own. I didn't want to wake you and Star and Moonless said you wouldn't mind…"

That caught me off guard and I looked at her. "Star talks all the time, she's a constellation with magical powers, but did you just say that Moonless told you as well?" Yes you dimwit Star told me through mind-speak. The girl has the Gift. Not your Gift! She snapped as I raised my eyebrows. Her own Gift, one that allows her to connect with the mortal animals. She's god-favored too you know. I nodded at this information then looked at Cooper as she began to speak again.

"I have a sort of… talent with animals. I can speak to them. Ma thought I was crazy, and that's why she sent me to live with Grandma."

I nodded again, this time in understanding. I knew what that was like. "I have a Gift too, except mine is with blades. Me own ma kicked me out onta the streets when I was but a lass like you." My grammar slipped as I remembered the day I had been shoved out of my door with naught but the clothes on my back and told to never return. "My mother thought I was possessed. Oh well, the past is the past. Here, you want to test my Gift?" Cooper nodded eagerly. "Alright, here. Take this," I handed her a random knife, "and hide it anywhere in this room. I'll find it."

"Okay," said Cooper, taking the knife. She was going to hide it when Moonless unwrapped from her wrist and flew over to coil around my eyes and canceling out my magic. I hate it when she does that.

"Moonless, this is, totally unnecessary." I tried to pry her off, but it didn't work.

I heard Cooper giggle. "She says she'll let you go when I'm done hiding your knife. She thinks you'll cheat."

I tried to look indignant—I'll tell you; that's very hard to do with a bat-snake wrapped around your head like some sort of turban. "Cheat! I never cheat!" But I stopped struggling anyways.

A few minutes later Moonless unwound and flew over to curl around Cooper's shoulders. I felt the rush of my returning Gift and breathed a sigh of relief. Cooper was leaning on the wall a few feet away from me, arms crossed lazily. I sent out a wave of power. My blade was, warm. How could it be warm? Unless… I grinned at Cooper and pulled one arm away from the other, catching my knife afore it hit the floor. She grinned. "You're good with you're Gift. Star says that if I practice hard enough, then eventually I'll be able to change into animals, but right now all I can do is talk to them." She looked disappointed.

"Hey," I said, "I just have to hope that Moonless understands me. Also, I have no idea what she says back. You're very lucky Cooper."

She smiled again, and I pulled on my cloak. My cloak is probably the deadliest thing I own. In it I carry over forty knives and two long swords. Also, it's spelled to remain light as air and just as maneuverable, so it doesn't cause a hazard for me in a fight. And last, but definitely not least, it is impenetrable by knives or arrows. The only way to get past it would be a thrust through the gap, which is very small. Yesterday I bought a smaller version of it for Cooper—cost me a pretty penny it did—and gave her ten knives to put in it.

"Alright," I told my new partner, "Let's go, we have business to take care of.

Route was fairly simple, especially with Cooper watching my back. After lunch, as I was congratulating Cooper on a good first morning, I sensed familiar blades and swore colorfully. "Mithros, Mynoss, and Shakith! Cooper! Walk a few feet behind me, and if someone gets too close to me, get your blade against his throat, fast." She nodded and faded back into the crowd.

Sure enough, a few seconds later I felt someone grab me by the shoulder. I turned my head and saw the Scanran cove. You'd think he'd have learned his lesson the last time he tried this. I thought. Oh well, I won't need Moonless this time.

Even as I was thinking this, I saw Cooper approaching silently and swiftly through the crowd and smiled sweetly at the cove. "Can you not leave me alone? It's beginning to get a little irritating." It was true and I could tell that my eyes were again changing to the blue they became when I was annoyed. I could always tell what color my eyes were. I was rewarded with seeing the Scanran flinch. Although, he was obviously startled, the cove didn't take my warning and leave. At that very moment, Cooper's knife descended down upon his throat. "Just remember," I told the cove, "I warned you." I nodded at Cooper then turned my head to the sky and whistled for Star Strike, who landed on my shoulder. Moonless' head poked out from the sleeve of Cooper's cloak and the bat-snake opened her mouth wide, baring her fangs. If she injected the correct amount of venom, the Scanran would feel nothing when Cooper slit his neck open.

The cove's voice brought me out of my thoughts. "Wait!" I motioned for Moonless to stop for a minute. "I am not following you around. I was told that you could tell me where the Lone Rogue was."

I had to bite my cheek to keep myself from laughing. The cove had truly not yet figured out who I was yet! It was relieving yet insulting. "Yes, I do indeed know where to find the Lone Rogue." Don't let Cooper tell the Scanran who I am. I told Star through thought speak. Star turned to Cooper and after a minute the gixie nodded.

The cove looked up at me again. "Can you tell me where he is?"

I couldn't help a small smile then. "Yes."

The Scanran watched me, obviously awaiting a more specific answer. Realizing he wasn't going to get one he asked, "Where is he?"

I grinned and motioned for Cooper to remove her knife. She shrugged and pocketed it. Moonless retreated back into the sleeve. "Here," I replied.

"Where?" he asked. I rolled my eyes and waited for him to guess, one eyebrow raised. After a minute, he got it. "Wait. You-you're-but-" his eyebrows came together as he put it all together in his head. "Oh."

I grinned and held out my hand to help him up. "Rebekah Sarrasri, Lone Rogue of the Lower City."

He took my hand and got to his feet, then shook it. "Rosto the Piper."

I nodded, then sighed. "I do suppose that you're here for my position. You've already turned down Lockhorn's."

He shook his head. "No, actually, I came to ask if the Lone Rogue was looking for allies. My friends and I are new here (A/N- obviously),and we need allies. We're willing to earn our stay, unlike the Rogue's rushers."

I nodded; I knew how lazy the Rogue's chiefs were. "That's good to hear. It's never a good thing when you think someone's after your position. It tends to make you a little paranoid. Now, if there were some way I could meet your friends…"

A few hours later the alliance was formed. I had taken a liking to the redheaded gixie with the sword. Her name was Aniki. Cooper had immediately loved the archer/mage Kora, and they had become friends almost immediately.

Aniki told me that the inn they were staying in was disgusting and had mice, so I offered up some of my rooms—Mithros knows I have plenty of them—and the Scanrans accepted gladly.

The Lone Rogue has permanent allies in the Lower City.